A Sampling of Don Rickles’s Barbs

Don Rickles became famous for throwing barbs at any group he could target, but he was often at his most caustic while roasting his fellow celebrities. Here are a few of his many insults.

Bob Hope

“There’s no booing! There’s no booing! If there’s another outburst we’re going to let Bob Hope get up and do his jokes.

“We kid, we kid about great stars such as you, Bob. Why? Because you’re old and washed up.”

“Bob Hope, as you all know, he’s in the back standing there with three soldiers and an American flag saying ‘find another war.’ ”

Sammy Davis Jr.

“I wish you wouldn’t touch me Sammy, you people rust.”

“Sammy, you’re a black man. I took a guess. If you ain’t black you fell into a bucket of M&M’s.”

“All peoples are alike. You live in my neighborhood, I’ll live in yours, right Sam? Are you crazy?”

Dean Martin

“Dean, I thank you for the wonderful introduction. You would love the evening if you knew you were here.”

“Dean’s laughing. And why not, Dean? There’s a contract out for you.”

Wilt Chamberlain

“Wilt Chamberlain, I say from the bottom of my heart, you can move into my neighborhood any time you want.”

“I kid you, Wilt, and why? ′Cause you could hurt me.”

Lucille Ball

“My wife said to me last night as we laid in bed, she said, ‘Is Lucy young?’ and I said, ‘Baby, young is not the point, it’s what’s in your heart.’ Right, Lucy? Lucy? Put her in a home! Look at this, the husband went, ‘Yeah!’ ”

Orson Welles

“Orson Welles, ladies and gentlemen, has been a great star for so many years. This man was married to a great many women in his life. They’re all flat now.”

Howard Stern

“The man works in a closet, for Christ’s sake.”

“You look like a Jew Zulu.”

Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro

“Marty when we see all the films you did, none of them were great. None of them.”

“Marty, you are the most annoying director I ever had in my life. De Niro is sitting there — God bless you, Bob, he’s got the beard on. To know him is a treat, he’s one of the great actors of our time. You ask him! You ask him, he’ll tell you.”

Frank Sinatra

“Stand up, Frank, be yourself and hit somebody.’ And all the guys with him went, ‘Is that funny, Frank?’ ”

“Everybody around couldn’t believe I had the macaroons to say this to him. And I did, and when I came home my cousin was on a hook in the living room.”

“You’re 64 years old Frank, I’m a friend, I’ve been listening to all the people. You look it, Frank.”